The invention relates to a method of and apparatus for locking a feature of a powered furniture item, and particularly to an electric lockout for selectively preventing actuation of one or more features of the furniture item.
It is known to provide furniture items with various electrically powered features or apparatus. Examples of such powered apparatus include, but are not limited to:
1) one or more motors, or a hydraulic system connected to a stationary lift and/or recline chair, dental or medical chair, sofa, love seat, bed, futon, etc;
2) one or more heater elements (either temporarily or permanently) connected to a stationary lift and/or recline chair, dental or medical chair, sofa, love seat, bed, futon, etc;
3) one or more vibrating elements (either temporarily or permanently) connected to a stationary lift and/or recline chair, dental or medical chair, sofa, love seat, bed, futon, etc; or
4) an air bladder system connected to a stationary lift and/or recline chair, dental or medical chair, sofa, love seat, bed, futon, etc;
An example of a system having one or more vibrating elements is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,730,707, entitled POWER SUPPLY FOR VIBRATING FURNITURE, which is incorporated herein by reference. An example of a system having a hydraulic lift system and at least one motor is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,467,002, entitled ADJUSTABLE CHAIR HAVING PROGRAMMABLE CONTROL SWITCHES, which is incorporated herein by reference.
One example of a furniture item with a powered apparatus is a power-lift chair. Power-lift chairs help elderly, disabled or similarly situated individuals get into and out of the lift chair. For example, when the user wishes to sit in the lift chair, the user operates a controller to raise and rotate (hereinafter, referred to as xe2x80x9craisexe2x80x9d) the lift chair from a xe2x80x9cnormalxe2x80x9d state. The term xe2x80x9cnormalxe2x80x9d state refers to the normal resting position, i.e., the lift chair is not in the raised position. The user raises the lift chair to the desired height and rotation position thereby allowing the user to readily sit in the lift chair. By raising the lift chair, the user is allowed easier access to the chair. After the user sits in the lift chair, the user operates the controller to return the chair to the normal state. That is, the lift chair lowers and reverses the direction of rotation (hereinafter, referred to as xe2x80x9cloweringxe2x80x9d) until it returns to the normal state. Similarly, if the user is sitting in the chair while the chair is in the normal state, the user can raise the lift chair thereby allowing the user to easily get out of the lift chair. The lift chair uses one or more electrical motors to raise and lower the chair.
Another example of a furniture item with a powered apparatus is a power-recline chair. Power-recline chairs allow a user to controllably recline the power-recline chair. As compared with a manual recline chair, the power-recline chair allows greater control and stability of the chair while reclining the chair. For example, the user operates a controller such that the power-recline chair moves to a desired reclined position. If the user is already in a reclined position, the user operates the controller until the chair returns to the upright position. Power-recline chairs utilize one or more electrical motors to move the chair between the recline and upright positions.
The functional utility of power-lift chairs and power-recline chairs can be combined into the same chair. That is, a lift and power-recline chair combines the features of the lift chair and the power-recline chair.
In some circumstances, it is desirable to prevent unauthorized use of the powered apparatus of the furniture item. For example, children should not be allowed to operate such items without proper supervision and/or training.
Accordingly, the invention provides a powered furniture item having an electronic lockout for preventing unauthorized use of the item. The powered furniture item has an unlocked state and a locked state. In the unlocked state, the item responds to user initiated commands generated by a controller. In the locked state, either the item does not respond to commands generated by the controller, or the controller is precluded from generating such commands.
In one embodiment, the invention provides a powered movable chair including a frame, a powered apparatus mounted to the frame to power the movable chair, and a controller including a control circuit coupled to the powered apparatus. The control circuit includes at least two switches for selectively controlling a change of the status of the powered apparatus between a locked state and an unlocked state. The control circuit is operable to generate an output signal allowing control of the powered apparatus in the unlocked state and preventing control of the powered apparatus in the locked state. The control circuit is further operable to change from the unlocked state to the locked state when a user operates only a first switch of the at least two switches, and to change from the locked state to the unlocked state when a user operates two switches of the at least two switches.
The invention further provides a method of controlling a powered movable furniture item (e.g., a chair). The method includes the acts of changing from the unlocked state to the locked state when the user operates only a first switch of the at least two switches, and changing from the locked state to the unlocked state when the user operates two switches of the at least two switches.
In the prior art, it is known to change a powered furniture item from an unlocked state to a locked state. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,467,002, a user can lock the adjustable chair by actuating multiple switches concurrently. However, the powered furniture item of the invention includes a control circuit operable to change from the unlocked state to the locked state when a user operates a single switch only. By requiring the user to operate one and only one switch to lock the furniture item, the control circuit of the invention is simplified over control circuits of prior art furniture items. The control circuit of the invention reduces the number of parts and has a more simplified software program. In situations where the furniture item needs to lock out quickly, activating one and only one switch is a more effective and simpler method to lock the furniture item. Additionally, by requiring the user to operate two switches to unlock the control circuit, the control circuit of the invention cannot be unlocked haphazardly.
Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the following detailed description, claims, and drawings.